The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-04-30

|
! room, Corkey," said the lad on the coal box
with delighted grin.
''Whats it fur!'
''Fur Mrs. Grogan's daughter Moll, what
whit off wild the pick-i-nic of de- 'sociashun
of Perfect Gents of de Forth ward yester.
day mornin' an amt got back yit. De ole
woman's bin waitin' all night fur her. She
| thinks Molrs drownded."
The sharp face of the cripple lighted up,
and limping hurrieGly into the middle of
the street, he screamed with such shrillness
and excitement that the windows all about
were peopled in an instant:
"Mrs. Grogan, Mrs. Grogan, Ms. Gro
gnw
''Yis, Yisl" cried the old woman, throw
| ing up her window and leaning out with
| distended eyes, pale face and streaming
| gray hair ''What is it,"
go cat brick'v tarrierr
| Then Corkey, with afina1 and triumphant
| shrek, went in to join his family at break
fast.
1t was nine o'clock when he again became
visible to the world. He climbed to the
edge of an ash barrel on the corner of
| Frankfort street and Park Row and perched
there, putting the battered remnant of a
discarded cigar, with his disfgured arms
thoughtfully folded nd his torn old hat
balanced rakishly over his left ear. Be-
meath the rim of the hat the child's big
black eyes roamed with lively interest over
the scene before him. All of Brooklyn was
pouring over the bridge, tumbling into the
stream Of humanity from the east side of
New York and rushing down Park Row,
| swirling about lamp posts, telegraph poles
and venders' carts, running out into the
lcfr odd c,tyiff s1ul,
barrel on which Corkey sat, unnoticed and
unknown. A piece of muddy board was
partially buried in the ashes and Corkey
| possessed himself of this and pounded the
barrel vigorously as he whistled popular
air, but it was all lost in the roar of the
human mill race from the bridge.
Presently the pompous ngure Of an elder
ly and corpulent man came dancing along
on def and natty legs-the picture of seren-
ity, suavity, benevolence and self-esteem.
A conscious smile illuminated his proper
looking face, and respondent beaver was
fixed at fetching angle on his head. The
sharp eyes of the crooked and gnome-like
little creature on the barrels rim dwelt
on this monument of business rectitude and
integrity as it passed majestically by, and
then with a sudden effort he drew back the
shingle in his hand and threw it with such
nervous force and accurate aim that it
struck the elderly citizen in the back of the
head, sent him staggering into the street
and rendered his hat an object of ridicule,
contumely and derision. The effort on
Corkey's part was so great that he lost his
balance in the recoil, toppled over into the
half-filled barrel and lay there on his back
with nothing in view but his artificial leg,
which rose from the barrel stifly sur
mounted by weather-beaten old boot,
which twitched back and forth slowly in the
air, as though giving a decorous outlet to
its owners mirth.
After the erstwhile pompous citizen had
been soothed by the multitude and sent
upon his way the old boot which rose from
the barrel was shifted over the edge eight
little fingers clutched the barrels rim and
slowly lifted into view the sly and mis-
chievous eyes of the boy. He looked alertly
in every direction like a startled squirrel
peering from his nest hole, and then clam
bering hastily to the ground went hopping
and skipping across the car tracks with
screeches Of laughter and danced into City
Hall park. Here he propped himself up in
a corner of the fence in front of the mayors
Office sitting with folded arms and head
bent forward, gravely acted as the umpire
street gamins played in the shade.
COrkey was very much absorbed in this
when he heard his name spoken softly, and
looking up saw one of the heroes of the
Fourth ward-a gentleman who, though he
was at this date but nineteen years of age,
had already had the distinction of serving
three terms in prison for picking pockets,
besides having been bowed to in public by
no less than two eminent bunco men. He
wore his lower jaw well forward, his small
eyes looked rather blinky and his red hair
was matted over his forehead. Tight trous-
erS chung to his muscular legs and sack
coat that sagged in front showed traces of
former splendor in the remnants of snowy
binding and big buttons. His hat was on
the back of his head.
When Corkey saw this great man and act
ually realized that the illustrious one was
speaking to him confidentially, faint flush
came over his thin face, and he sought to
rise.
''Set still, Cork said the great man affa-
bly,, as he shifted his toothpick to the other
side of his mouth and cast his weak gaze
over that portion of the park where his
wide experience had taught him the police
were most likely to be, ''y dom wan ter
make no blubb, " understan', FIR they's too
many lookin' on an tn jobs got to be done
wild dead elegant quietness."
The job! Corkey's heart beat a wild
| dance on his ribs and his eyes bulged from
his head. Here was greatness indeed, to
be associated with the famous crook in one
| of his operations. 1t was the proudest mo-
ment Of the child's life.
"Dere's drunk over here by the foun-
tain" continued the crook-he is known to
the world and the police as Bad Man Null
vey, and like all truly great men,he is with
out affectation or garish pride-''what's got
some Doodle in the right han pokit of his
pans. 1t amt in any odder pokit cause
bin troo DUN all an l knows where it is,
cause felt it from d outside. Well, he's a
| lynn on his right side wild his pokit towards
de grass. A nice little kid like yerself,
Cork, kin pertend t be playin' on de grass
an work up t. him an gather de little wad
right in without no one bein' de wiser"
SIS he very drunk, Mulveyt" asked the
| boy softly.
"Hes the mos elgintly drunkestus man.
said Bad Man Mulvey, with the traces of
keen envy showing plainly in his face,
'that I've seen since yer fadder wuz brung
home in O'Gilligan's ash cart and lay fur
ded fur two days without speakin.'" Mr..
Mulvey continued, with far-off look in his
elusive eyes and smile Of fond admiration
"What a beautiful load he had onto him'!''
For the first time in many a day Corkey
felt that his father was the kind of man